This invention relates to single-reed woodwind musical instruments and specifically to an improved means of attachment of a single beating reed to the mouthpiece table of such instruments.
Heretofore, single-reed woodwind musical instruments, such as those of the clarinet and saxophone families, utilized one of two varieties of reed holding devices (commonly called ligatures) to secure the single beating reed that acts as the sound generator to the reed attachment area, or table, of the instrument mouthpiece. From the inception of the single-reed mouthpiece, a wrapping of waxed string, twine or cord around both the mouthpiece and the reed has been used, at first from the want of better means. Even today, this method is preferred in Germany and some other European nations. It is generally agreed upon by those familiar with these families of instruments that the use of string, twine or cord affords a greater degree of flexibility to the reed which in turn allows the instrument to produce a superior tone that is more responsive to the manipulation of the player. However, the musical qualities of a string, twine-, or cord-wrapped reed and mouthpiece combination are more than outweighed by the cumbersome and time-consuming process of winding and unwinding the string, twine or cord when it becomes necessary to rapidly change and/or adjust the reed during the course of a performance. In order to overcome this disadvantage, the second variety of reed holding device was developed, starting with the invention of the twin-screw metal band reed holding device by the great clarinet virtuoso Ivan Mueller at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Since that time, such reed holding devices have generally replaced the use of string, twine or cord throughout most of the world. This type of reed holding device, whether of metal, plastic or of other materials, affords the player of a single-reed windwind musical instrument a means of securing the reed to the mouthpiece that allows rapid removal and replacement. However, such convenience of adjustment carries with it the loss of the flexible response allowed by the use of string, twine or cord. This is due to the rigid formed materials used in these devices which tend to restrict the free vibration of the reed. In addition, such rigid formed devices present the additional disadvantage of a lack of adaptability to all of the sizes and varieties of single-reed mouthpieces in use for a given type of instrument. Mouthpieces for all single-reed woodwind musical instruments come in a variety of lengths, diameters and tapers. For example, the degree of taper can vary from virtually no taper at all, as is seen in some metal saxophone mouthpieces, to a high degree of taper, such as seen in certain hard rubber mouthpieces made for the same instruments. Finally, the reed holding devices of this type are relatively complex and correspondingly harder to fabricate compared with one composed of string, twine or cord.
Although several attempts have been made in the prior art to combine the features of the above types of reed holding devices, no adequate solution to the problem of even distribution of a flexible holding force (such as that provided by string, twine or cord) over the length of the reed of a single-reed woodwind mouthpiece without the corresponding disadvantages of application of the multiple wrappings of string, twine or cord has yet been proposed. In addition, all of the attempts in the prior art have been incapable of being applied to all of the various geometries of mouthpieces available for a given type of instrument. For example, Lorenzini U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,535 shows the use of spaced string restraints combined with either tapered or straight rigid brackets. This embodiment applies tension to the restraints at only two locations, and must be procured in a configuration matching that of the mouthpiece in order to allow proper use. The provision of a fixed holding means for the string restraints does not allow the restraints to freely conform to any irregularities presented by the contours of the reed and tends to leave one or more of the various sections of the string not in proper contact with the bark of the reed. The Rovner U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,997 utilizes a strip of rubber-impregnated fabric adjusted by a single thumbscrew. It can be seen that the use of an elastic medium such as rubber-impregnated fabric does not duplicate the even holding characteristics of a ligature made of a continuous wrapping of string, twine or cord. Furthermore, the embodiment shown does not apply tension evenly throughout the entire strip when used on all geometries of mouthpiece and reed combinations due to the fixed configuration of the fabric strip combined with the limited adjustment range of the single thumbscrew provided. The Tafarella U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,584 approaches the problem by another means, utilizing a rigid collar of plastic material provided with strips of felt which isolate the device from contact with the mouthpiece. However, this embodiment does not restrain the reed with string-like means since it employs a slide of plastic material bearing against the rigid collar to locate and secure the reed in place. Also, the variations of taper between individual geometries of mouthpieces available for a given type of instrument combined with the limited adjustment range provided by this embodiment require a specific version for each style of mouthpiece available for a given type of instrument. The Cadwallader U.S. Pat. No. 555,561 employs a continuously-wrapped quantity of cord wound between two metal loops adjusted by a single thumbscrew. Although the cord provides a flexible holding medium, the friction between the wrappings prevents the cord from evenly distributing the pressure applied by the single thumbscrew over the bark of the reed. In addition, the limited adjustment range provided by this embodiment would require a specific version for each style of mouthpiece available for a given type of instrument.
None of the items in the prior art describe a reed holding device which provides the even application of pressure to the back of the single-beating reed that affords the freedom of response as that applied by a continuous wrapping of string, twine or cord while at the same time allowing the ease of application, removal and adjustment afforded by the various types of Mueller-derived metal or plastic screw adjustable ligatures.
These and various other problems were not satisfactorily resolved until the emergence of the instant invention.